On the Open Road
by Spades And Swords
Summary: Demyx takes Ienzo on an unexpected journey. While the Melodious Nocturne searches for inspiration for a new song, the former Cloaked Schemer deals with his newly regained emotions and heart. What will they discover about each other and themselves? Post KH 3.


_**Thanks for reading!**_

* * *

"What about you, Ienzo?"

"Yes."

"What?"

Ienzo's head slipped from his hand and slammed against the keyboard. The sound it made was so loud that Ansem immediately went to his side.

"Are you alright son?" the old man asked.

The computer's screen moved and changed screens randomly until Ienzo lifted his head.

"I was just…" Ienzo's face became crimson. He couldn't remember what Ansem had asked him, even less what he had answered. He only hoped it hadn't been something stupid. Nervous, he stood up and began typing random information, if only to have something to do until Ansem decided to stop staring at him. "I'm just a bit tired. It's nothing to worry about, really. I'm almost done with this report. Anyway, what was your question?"

He smiled at Ansem the same way he had done as a child whenever his mentor caught him misbehaving. It was kind of pathetic that habit hadn't died out yet.

Ansem sighed and folded his arms.

"I asked you," Ansem's voice became sterner "what you wanted Aeleus to cook for you for dinner tonight. And unless 'yes' is an exotic dish native from another world, I'm afraid you'll have to give me another answer."

In that moment, Ienzo wished a portal of darkness would swallow him and spit him in another world.

His only comfort was that no one else had been witness of his moment of idiocy.

"He almost passed out again while working, didn't he?" Even's voice came from Ansem's phone. Ienzo heart's dropped to his feet. He closed his eyes and hid them behind his unruly hair as he continued typing. "It's the fifth time this week, Ienzo. It's no proper way for a scientist to act."

Ienzo didn't answer.

Even may have regained his heart, but it didn't stop him from being a complete jerk every now and then.

"What's the matter with him?" Dilan's voice joined in. "He's not sick, is he? Because I still have nightmares of his 'sickly kid phase' when he first came to live in the castle. It was the only thing that almost drove Braig to leaving this place for good. All things considered, that wouldn't have been a bad thing at all."

Ienzo wondered how fast he could scan himself into data and enter the computer's digital world.

"Enough." Aeleus' said just before Dilan began with an anecdote about the day Ienzo threw up one entire night after eating more sea salt ice cream than any child should. "I'll prepare us a healthy dinner tonight to help you recover your energy, Ienzo. Chocobo soup infused with elixir and served with black truffle salad."

Ienzo hunched his back and asked himself how much he would regret leaving his life behind and starting a new one in Space Paranoids. Tron would be happy to help him settle in.

"Wait, what do you mean by 'us'?" Dilan snapped. "I don't eat any of that crap! Besides, I've been telling you for weeks I wanted to have Behemoth steak for dinner, and you promised you'd finally cook it for me tonight! "

"Due to some unforeseen circumstances, the menu's had some last second changes."

"Damn you, Aeleus!"

"The true question here is…what on earth is a chocobo?" wondered an intrigued Even.

"Thank you, gentlemen. We'll see you at dinner in a couple of hours." Ansem finished the call just as Dilan started to throw insults at Aeleus.

He sighed, no less mortified than Ienzo.

"Apologies for that."

"No, it's okay." It took all of Ienzo's strength to keep his voice from trembling. He resented his colleagues for their poorly timed comments, but he didn't blame them. Everything had been his fault for not being able to keep himself awake while he was working.

"No." Ansem replied. "It's not. Don't try to pretend it is, Ienzo. Look at me."

His harsh words took Ienzo by surprise. Ever since he was a boy, it had mostly been Even who chided him.

Ansem had seldom done so. It was weird he had waited for Ienzo to be an adult to finally scold him.

_Maybe it is because I'm acting more childishly than ever._ Ienzo almost chuckled at the thought.

Slowly, his hands stopped typing. He gathered all his courage and looked at Ansem and found, to his surprise, that his mentor wasn't angry.

"I'm worried about you." Ansem said. "You're not sleeping well; you barely touch your food when you eat. Not to talk about the quality of your most recent experiments and reports…"

The last statement stung. Sure, his sleeping schedule was a mess, and he already had received an earful from Aeleus about how important a good diet was to grow healthy and strong.

But he had been diligent and careful with everything related to his work. If he hadn't, Even would have let him know. He had no qualms about criticizing Ienzo's work and research if he found it deficient.

"What's wrong with my work?" Ienzo asked. Without intending it, he spoke more like an offended scientist than a meek apprentice. "If there's some area where I can improve, I'd very much like you to tell me. I'm not afraid of constructive criticism, trust me. It's the natural consequence of years of being under Even's tutelage…"

"On the contrary." Ansem said. "Your work is impeccable. I doubt Even would ever tell you personally, but he is impressed by how far you've come this last months."

"So my work is at its best," Ienzo arched an eyebrow "and yet you scold me about it? That's almost as confusing as imagining Even openly praising me."

"It's the fact that your research and reports are so perfect that worries me, Ienzo. It makes me proud to see you're so dedicated and talented, but there's no need for you to push yourself beyond your limits."

"You needn't worry." Ienzo smiled. "I don't intend to make the same mistake twice and lose my heart to darkness again."

He didn't know why he said that, even less why he tried to make it pass like a joke. He didn't think it was funny, he didn't know why the words had come to him so naturally.

He regretted it immediately, but the harm was already done.

Ansem's face lost its color. Ienzo feared he would pass out right before his eyes.

"I'm sorry." An ashamed Ienzo said after what felt like an eternity.

Ansem didn't answer. Suddenly, he launched his hands toward Ienzo and grabbed him by the shoulders in a tight, painful grip.

"The darkness hasn't taken you, has it?" Ansem shook him. "Has it?!"

"No!" Ienzo slapped Ansem's hands off of him and stepped back. In that moment, he hated himself for complicating a simple situation into an awkward mess. "I said I'm sorry. I won't joke about that again. And stop worrying about me so much. I appreciate your concern, but I'm not a child anymore. I know what I'm doing and I can take care of myself."

His own words made his ears cringe. They sounded so immature.

However, for a reason he couldn't understand, they were enough to calm Ansem. He was still pale, but the restless concern in his eyes vanished.

Ienzo braced himself for another lecture. His expectations were betrayed when Ansem simply turned his back on him and abandoned the room.

"I see." Ansem said before he crossed the door. "I am sorry I brought this up, Ienzo. The last thing I wanted was to disturb you."

"You didn't-"

Ansem was already gone. In a way, that was good. At least it saved Ienzo from finishing saying his lie.

"That went well, Ienzo. You really handled that like a champ." He muttered, wondering how everything would have turned out if only he had kept his untasteful quip to himself. "I guess it's no use worrying about it now. I better correct and finish this report before something else happens."

Ansem's forgotten phone started ringing.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ienzo lamented before answering. He did so just to stop the annoying ringtone. "Yes?"

"Master Ansem? Heavens, what's wrong with your voice? Not to be disrespectful, but it sounds horrible. I think you might be getting a cold."

A jab directed at his voice. Sure, why not?

"It's me, Even." Ienzo said tiredly as he finished his report and turned off the computer.

"Ienzo? What are you doing with Master Ansem's phone?" Even asked. "I hope you're not spying on his personal stuff, boy. I know it's tempting, but it would be rude."

"What? No." Ienzo said. "He forgot his phone and I just answered it. I'll give it back to him at dinner."

"Good." Even said, and then added in a low voice. "Listen, if you really can't hold yourself from checking what Ansem keeps on his phone, I'd understand. Remember, it's not spying if you do it in the name of science…"

"I'll see you later, Even." Ienzo cut off the communication and put the phone on his pocket. "Damn, I guess some things never change, with or without hearts."

He went to his room in silence to rest for a moment while Aeleus was done cooking. As he walked across the empty halls of the castle, he reenacted the scene in his head.

_There's no reason for you to push yourself beyond your limits._

It wasn't clear at first, but Ienzo soon realized how much those words had upset him.

"You're wrong, Master." He said as he entered his room and threw himself unto his bed. "Because I don't think there's another reason for me to exist other than doing precisely that."

He closed his eyes. He had almost managed to fall asleep when he received Aeleus message that dinner was ready.

Dinner time went just as Ienzo had expected, with Dilan complaining relentlessly and refusing to eat his chocobo soup, Even babbling about how eager he was to research and run some experiments on the wonderful creature known as chocobos, and Aeleus being his quiet, peaceful self.

There was only one thing amiss.

"Where's Master Ansem?" Ienzo asked with as much neutrality as he could muster.

"He's not coming." Said Aeleus. "He told me he was busy with something and would eat dinner in his room."

_Busy with something, huh? Like being mad at me, perhaps?_ Ienzo thought. Then, a more bitter thought followed. _I really messed up. I'm still such a child…_

"Ienzo?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. I was just thinking about how tasty the soup is. You really surpassed yourself, Aeleus."

"Nobody likes a flatterer, Ienzo." Dilan snapped at him.

"Leave the boy alone and eat your damn soup." Even intervened. "Seriously, how can a man so mature act like a child when it comes to food?"

"I don't want to hear that from the old guy who loses his marbles about some stupid, giant birds."

"Wait, chocobos are birds?" Even exclaimed. "I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed."

"See? I rest my case." Dilan said with a triumphant smile. Now in a better mood, he decided to give the soup a chance, but not without previously telling Ienzo he owed him one. "Good lord! This soup tastes like…Huh, actually, it's not that bad."

"I told you." Aeleus said.

"Damn it." Dilan hissed, humiliated. He then proceeded to eat his food in silence. "I'll get you for this, Aeleus."

"Whatever."

Ienzo watched them as they continue to bicker and talk about mundane things.

_With these paternal figures, maybe it's no wonder I still act like child._

A small smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. That thought was still embarrassing, but now that he was together with the others, it also warmed his heart.

Ever since he had recovered his own, he treasured all his feelings with great regard.

_No, not all of them._

There he was again, ruining the moment with bitter ideas.

He felt how his genuine smile transformed into an imitation. It took great effort, but he was decided not to let his true emotions show on his face. He was willing to use his illusion magic if it was necessary.

It was the least he could do.

The last thing he wanted was to ruin Even, Dilan and Aeleus' night as he had done with Ansem.

* * *

"So what do you say?"

"Sure. It's a little unexpected, but I don't think there should be any problem."

"Good. Thank you for doing this."

"Don't worry, I'm happy to help. Anyway, I have to go now. I'll see you tomorrow!"

The communication was cut.

Ansem put one of his many phones on his desk and rested his back against the chair.

Aeleus' dinner remained untouched and cold before him. Unlike Dilan, he hadn't refused to eat it because it disgusted him.

He simply had an urgent matter he wanted to resolve as soon as possible. To his surprise, everything had gone smoothly.

He had become so accustomed to problems requiring complex solutions than it was difficult to believe some could be solved with a simple phone call.

He smiled. Even if it had required a more difficult approach, he would have gone through with it.

It was the least thing he could do for Ienzo. All Ansem could do now was hoping his idea would bring some comfort to his apprentice's heart.

"I guess I'll have to wait and see." He said, confident that everything would turn out alright.

With renewed spirits, he decided to eat his dinner before it become colder.

"Wow." Ansem said after swallowing the first sip. "Absolutely disgusting."

He kept eating. After all, Aeleus had cooked it especially for Ienzo. The thought didn't make the soup any tastier, but at least it helped him eat it without regrets.

Emerging a portal in the roof, a shadowy figure watched him. It had been there even before Ansem entered the room.

It smiled, and vanished without making a sound or leaving any trace of its existence.


End file.
